Heritage
A house, in its own words
Kelly Jones launched Kelly & Jones in 2012 at Sniffapalooza's Spring Fling, introducing her Notes of Wine collection inspired by varietal wine scents. A Rochester Hills, Michigan native, Jones built her fragrance expertise through hands-on experience, reportedly spending her savings on oils and glass vials to open a mix-your-own fragrance bar called Salud in Tucson, Arizona before founding the brand. The Notes of Wine line featured individual scents designed around specific grape varieties including merlot, chardonnay, and pinot grigio. In addition to her fragrance brand, Jones established K+J LIVE, an olfactive branding agency specializing in experiential scent marketing. The brand has grown from its initial wine collection to include the Eau de Mezcal series, with releases spanning from 2018 through 2023. Kelly & Jones operates as a boutique fragrance house with 22 perfumes in its catalog, maintaining production in the United States while developing formulations that pair with food and beverage experiences. The brand positions itself around the concept of fragrance as a social, sensory experience to be shared. Rather than creating singular signature scents, Kelly & Jones builds collections around beverage themes that invite wearers to explore aromatic profiles collaboratively. The mezcal collection explicitly honors the artisans who produce agave spirits, suggesting an appreciation for craft traditions that extends beyond perfumery. Jones has described the brand as creating fragrances meant to be passed around a table with commentary, positioning scent as an interactive social element rather than a purely personal choice. The formulation philosophy emphasizes transparency regarding ingredients, with the brand publicly stating its commitment to non-toxic, cruelty-free production using naturals and safe synthetics without parabens or phthalates.